Friday, April 19, 2013

An Interview with......Amy Herzog

Once a week I
post interviews with interesting designers about their insights
on their experience of working in the Knitting industry. I’ve
noticed that every designer makes their living in a slightly
different manner bringing their own unique presence to the
Knitting world.

Where do you find
inspiration?
Primarily I find my inspiration in fashion--not just the runway stuff, but
on the people around me, in the clothes I like to wear, in silhouettes and
other style features of vintage clothing. My passion for knitting is
really just one aspect of my passion for clothing, so that’s where I
concentrate my efforts.

Of course, within the realm of fashion the sources of inspiration are
endless! I’m often drawn to subtle, tailored elements of an item of
clothing--a pleat here, some texture there, highlighting (or creating) a
particular figure silhouette. But I just as often go wild over fabric,
color, necklines, you name it!

What is your
favourite knitting technique?
Hands-down, it’s creating three-dimensional fabric by shaping the interior
of knitting pieces. I think the process of creating a knit fabric is so
freeing, and so different from the techniques used in sewing. It’s
exciting to create fabric shaped like us!

How did you
determine your size range?
It’s extremely important to me that all women be able to find a size that
works for them in my patterns. Since I recommend choosing a size based on
the upper torso or high bust, I’ve found that a size range between 30’’
and 54’’ has worked for everyone I’ve come across online and in my
classes. (And of course I give other guidance on how to size up the rest
of the sweater, should the knitter need it!)

Please tell us
about your book and the design philosophy behind the patterns included.
The book is definitely, first and foremost, an exploration of my passion
for sweaters we all love to wear. It encourages everyone to stop obsessing
over the numbers and focus on their body’s shape instead, steps the
reader through the ways clothing changes our shape’s appearance, and then
presents patterns designed to highlight the beautiful features of every
figure. I include clear guidance on how to determine what modifications
your body will actually need, and instructions for doing so.
Best of all, the book features 9 (gorgeous!) women of all different shapes
and sizes--petite and tall, curvy and straight, busty and not.

The patterns are a little different than what you might expect in a
typical ‘pattern collection’ knitting book. They’re all designed to be
very easy to modify for a perfect fit, and blend well into a wardrobe for
decades to come. So they’re a little simpler, a little more understated, a
little more classic than some of my other designs. These are the sweaters
you use your very best yarn for, and wear with pride for the rest of your
life.

Do you look at
other designers' work or are you afraid that you will be influenced by
their designs?
My online time is actually somewhat limited, but I definitely try to keep
up with where the industry is going. (I succeed better at some times than
others, for sure!) We all have our own take on design (and life!), so I’m
not overly concerned about being influenced by others’ work. It can be
nice when we’re inspiring one another!

How do you feel
about the so called controversy of "dumbing down" patterns for
knitters?
Well, I wasn’t aware of a ‘controversy’, per se, but I have noticed the
change in knitting patterns over the past few years. I actually think it
represents something quite exciting--if knitters are calling for patterns
with clearer and more basic instructions, it seems to me that new people
are coming into knitting. And that means new sweaters in the world! And
that rocks.

That said, I think it’s totally appropriate and fair game for an
individual designer to write patterns aimed at a more experienced and/or
adventurous knitter--just as there are tons of different sewing book
styles, and tons of different cookbook/recipe styles, so too is there room
for all kinds of knitting patterns.

How many
sample/test knitters do you have working for you or do you do it all yourself?
I worked with a sample knitter for a couple of samples in the book (and
used her again just recently, to knit book sweaters customized for me) but
generally prefer to do as much of it myself as I possibly can. The
knitting is one of the major parts that I love, so I’m reluctant to give
it up.

Do you have a
mentor?
Not a single mentor, no. But one of the lovely things about this field is
that everyone is quite open and friendly, so I’ve taken valuable advice
from and learned at the feet of many wonderful women. I feel blessed in
that way.

What impact has
the Internet had on your business?
Simply put, my business wouldn’t exist without it!

Do you use a tech
editor?
Yes, always, and I feel strongly about the importance of a good tech
editor.

No matter how experienced you are (or how great your math is), sometimes
it takes another set of eyes to notice when things might not be clearly
explained, or catch that one small mistake. We’re very good at seeing what
we expect to see on the page. Tech editors are the designer’s
secret weapon for seeing what’s actually on the page, instead.
They’re invaluable.

How do you
maintain your life/work balance?
Well... ...if by that, you mean “how do you get yourself to put down the
knitting every once in awhile?” I don’t. I’ve been knitting for years
explicitly because I can do it anywhere. I’m such a fidgety person,
having knitting along for the ride keeps me present and focused on the
wonderful time we’re having!

But if you mean the larger, how do I maintain my ability to unplug from
the business aspect of things and focus on the rest of my life... I
certainly have hard days on this score, but I tend to be a fairly happy,
engaged, calm kind of person. One thing my life has taught me so far is
that you need to jump on the joy when you have it--and the stress you’re
carrying around is probably not worth it. So when it’s time to let work, go,
I just let it go.

How do you deal
with criticism?
I try to learn from it--understand where the person is coming from, what
their frustration was, what I did to contribute to that frustration. You
can never please everyone... ...but unless we learn from our
mistakes, we never grow. So I try to learn from them.

How long did it
take for you to be able to support yourself?This is a really
interesting question given the many different places people come to
designing from, and interesting time for me in particular to tackle this
topic! When I began to designing, it was a way for me to achieve some
creative expression without leaving the job I love (my day job is in
computer security research).

As the original Fit to Flatter tutorials led to workshops, those workshops
grew, and I started really trying to dovetail my designs to the extremely
wonderful experience of connecting women with clothing that makes them
feel great... ...I realized this was much, much more important to me than
a hobby-focused add-on to my primary career. The reception to my book so
far is making that realization even more compelling. That said, I do
love my day job and have over 15 years invested in it so far, so... ...I
guess what I’m saying is that I’m not really sure. :) Check back in a
year?

What advice would
you give someone who wants to pursue a career in knitting?
I think the single biggest piece of advice I can give is this: Think hard
and long about whether you want to turn what is now a fun hobby into a
profession.

If you decide you do, then think about the parts you love, and what
you might be able to do to keep them. Everyone working in this field has
the ability to create their own happy fiber profile based on their
interests--but it’s hard to do if you aren’t honest with yourself about
which parts you love, and which you merely tolerate.

About Me

email contact robinknits(AT)gmail(dot)com
I've been knitting my whole life. I don't even remember learning. I started making garments for myself in my teens and then explored sewing, tailoring and millinery. I want to teach knitters about fit and flattery and turn them into fashion stars!
On my blog you will find lots of interviews with knitting industry professionals, how to tutorials and a variety of posts about what's going on in the knitting world.
I love to come out and speak at shops and guilds. Here's what the Downtown Knit collective said after one of my talks:
“Robin Hunter’s inspiring talk, “The Barbie Factor,” left everyone in a feel-good mood at the conclusion of the May meeting. Heads were nodding in agreement all around ... as she tackled a multi-faced problem faced by many knitters—why don’t we knit for ourselves? She touched on many topics including fashion, body image, media and how it all relates back to our knitting.”
You can see my patterns on http://www.patternfish.com/des/robin_hunter and you can find me on Ravelry at http://www.ravelry.com/people/knittingrobin
My YouTube channel is here:http://www.youtube.com/user/robinknits?feature=mhee